The Mets posted their franchise record for losses in their inaugural season in the league, with 120 losses in 160 games in 1962.[5] This was the first of seven consecutive losing seasons,[1] a season in which the winning percentage was below .500, and the most losses by a post-1900 MLB team.[6] During this stretch from 1962 to 1968, the Mets employed four managers.[1] Five managers have taken the Mets to the postseason; Davey Johnson and Bobby Valentine have led the team to two playoff appearances each. Johnson and Gil Hodges are the only Mets managers to win a World Series: Hodges in 1969 against the Baltimore Orioles; and Johnson in 1986 against the Boston Red Sox.[7] Johnson is the longest-tenured manager in franchise history, with 1,012 games of service over 7 seasons (1984–1989 and part of 1990).[1]

The manager with the most wins and highest winning percentage over a full season or more is Johnson; his 595–417 record gives him a .588 winning percentage.[1] Conversely, the worst winning percentage over a full season or more in franchise history is .302 by inaugural manager Casey Stengel, who posted a 175–404 record from 1962 to 1965.[1]